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Photo by Ron Burkett
Spain Park Girls Basketball
Spain Park's Bailey Bowers in a game against Hewitt-Trussville on January 5, 2016.
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Photo by Ron Burkett
Spain Park Girls Basketball
Spain Park's Claire Holt in a game against Hewitt-Trussville on January 5, 2016.
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Photo by Ron Burkett
Spain Park Girls Basketball
Spain Park's Claire Holt in a game against Hewitt-Trussville on January 5, 2016.
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Photo by Ron Burkett
Spain Park Girls Basketball
Spain Park's Skyla Knight in a game against Hewitt-Trussville on January 5, 2016.
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Photo by Ron Burkett
Spain Park Girls Basketball
Spain Park coach Mike Chase in a game against Hewitt-Trussville on January 5, 2016.
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Photo by Ron Burkett
Spain Park Girls Basketball
Spain Park's Elizabeth Philpot shoots a free throw in a game against Hewitt-Trussville on January 5, 2016.
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Photo by Ron Burkett
Spain Park Girls Basketball
Spain Park's Skyla Knight in a game against Hewitt-Trussville on January 5, 2016.
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Photo by Ron Burkett
Spain Park Girls Basketball
Spain Park's Skyla Knight shoots a free throw in a game against Hewitt-Trussville on January 5, 2016.
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Photo by Ron Burkett
Spain Park Girls Basketball
Spain Park in a game against Hewitt-Trussville on January 5, 2016.
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Photo by Ron Burkett
Spain Park Girls Basketball
Spain Park's Arielle Parks in a game against Hewitt-Trussville on January 5, 2016.
Spain Park pulled away with a strong third quarter and started Class 7A, Area 6 play with a 72-64 victory over Hewitt-Trussville on Tuesday night.
The Lady Jaguars turned a three-point halftime deficit into a double-digit advantage with a 15-0 run that began early in the third quarter, after the Lady Huskies bridged the halves with nine straight points.
“Coming on the road and getting our first road W, it was huge for us,” Spain Park head coach Mike Chase said. “We played good in spurts, and we played bad in spurts.”
During the big run, freshman point guard Skyla Knight scored six consecutive points with back-to-back and-one conversions, in which she scored in the lane, got fouled, and made the free throw. Knight finished with a game-high 20 points.
“She got to the basket, and she’s good with the ball in her hands. Not only did she get some and-ones, she got the ball to the post a couple times. They didn’t really have an answer for it," Chase said.
Knight leads a team with a number of underclassmen, as the Lady Jags finished the game with three freshmen, a sophomore, and a senior on the floor.
“We’re really young. The more situations we can be in helps us going forward,” Chase said.
Claire Holt had a stellar game as well, going for 19 points. But like Knight and the rest of the team, she has moments of brilliance followed by momentary lapses, It's all part of the maturation process for young players.
Chase said, “She plays well at times. It’s just the identity of our team right now. If we can just get everyone playing well all at the same time, I think we might be able to do something this season.”
Forward Elizabeth Philpot struggled to get a shot to fall early, but remained strong in the paint and ended up with a ten-point game.
Bailey Berry scored a team-high 18 points for Hewitt-Trussville in a variety of ways, hitting a pair of three-pointers, three field goals inside the arc, and hit 6-of-8 free throw attempts.
London Coleman scored half of the Lady Huskies’ points in the third quarter, with nine of her 12 points in the frame. Kimberly Duffett had nine, with seven coming in the first half. Freshman guard Morgan Kirk scored all eight of her points in the second quarter. Gabby Hill scored 11.
Hewitt-Trussville possessed the ball with under a minute to play, down just six, but could pull no closer, as the Lady Jags played keep-away for much of the final quarter.
“They kept battling, fighting, and getting it down a close a couple times. It was a stressful win,” Chase said.
The game started out slowly, as Spain Park did not get on the scoreboard until halfway through the first quarter. Bailey Bowers knocked down a three-point shot and Holt converted a pair of baskets to give the Lady Jags a 15-12 lead after the frame. Bowers scored ten for the game.
Spain Park continues area play Friday with a game at home against rival Mountain Brook. The Huskies stay at home to play Vestavia Hills.
